Here's To The Heartache
by The Bloody Red Queen Of Angst
Summary: "What if I told you, life was built to break? What if I warned you, you can't outrun your fate? Would you believe with time comes grace? In perfect light. In perfect place. Every dream, was mine to lose. And that's what it took, to lead me to you." Conclusion of the adventures of Suicide Girl and her Saboten. Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket OR 'Mirror Mirror'. *Complete*
1. Chapter 1

I close the car door with a bang, ushering Mako inside the gas station.

Her eyes are _filled_ with wonder and awe as she stares at the rows and rows of candy. Reminiscent of Haru and motorcycles, or Kyo and catnip.

And while _she's_ occupied with staring at sour gummy worms, _I'm_ once again captivated by the shelves of energy drinks in the cold area. My old friends. I start for their direction when she tugs on my hand, pulling me towards the multicolored snack as she lets out an adorable squeal.

"Mama! Candy! Can I get some?"

I smile...because she's four...

And _that_ means I still had 14 years left with my sweet girl. 14 years...to enjoy her bright and bubbly spirit, and to watch her grow. I hope that she'll never stop being the sunshine I've known her to be, but I know that there are some constants that can never remain unchanging. Because she'll eventually become older. And with age comes moments that both make _and_ break you.

And... _every_ day...I pray that she won't travel the same path that I did.

"Sure." I respond, the softest of smiles gracing my lips as I pick the bright yellow-green bag off the rack for her, taking her small hand in my own again.

Making a final stop for my coveted energy drink, the two of us were on our way with our treasure trove until a sudden, piercing shriek rent the air, causing Mako to startle in my grasp.

"NO!" I hear this sharp disembodied scream of protest. "I WANN CANNIE!" This toddler-like lisped demand comes high pitched at an ear splitting decibel, and Mako gently squeezes my hand for reassurance as I find myself unintentionally pulled towards this ensuing tantrum.

"...Mama..?" She whimpers, nuzzling into me before I hear another, almost exhausted voice respond to this escalation.

"But Mommy already told you no candy before we came in here, Merry..." The woman's tone is calm and soothing...but fatigued as the hand that had been interlaced with my daughters instinctively goes to gently pet her head as Mako further buries her face into my leg.

"It's okay, baby girl..." I coo softly while subtly shuffling past the scene of the crime as more unintelligible screams spew forth from the next aisle over. "I'm here."

And just as I turn the corner with my daughter in tow, I bear witness to an almost saddeningly familiar scene. A petite, blond woman seeming to be in her early thirties. Stooped and almost gracefully balanced on her haunches. Before her, a small toddler with the same blond curls, face first on the grocery store floor. Still shrieking as she battered her tiny fists and kicked her little, chubby legs.

...yeah...I'd been there before.

Though exceedingly rare now as she had grown, Mako was not above throwing a decent tantrum.

Watching as discreetly as I can, Mako clinging to my leg, I hear the woman give a small sigh of defeat. Her head hung imperceptibly to the spectacle her own daughter is making before dainty fingers drift to tuck a lock of her short cropped, blond tresses, revealing liquid pools of bluish gray...like clouds before an impending storm as she gazes upon her child.

"Mommy's not very happy that you're not listening to me, Merry." The woman murmurs softly, matching the little girl's tantrum with calm, maternal tenderness.

"I WANN CANNIE!" The miniature terrorist repeats her demand, and I find myself sighing along with the woman.

"If you can't listen to _me_..." She murmurs evenly with the patience of a saint. "...then Mommy's going to need to get Daddy... And he won't be very happy, either."

"NO!" The little girl shrieks at the top of her lungs, thrown into another tizzy as her mother shakes her head, contemplating her next move as I see her adjust herself to retrieve her cell phone from the pocket of her blue jeans.

Before I can register how this child had reacted to the consequence of her father becoming involved, I feel familiar arms ensnare my waist as my own child's father plants a kiss on my cheek from behind me.

"Have you already checked out?" I hear the smooth tone of his voice in my ear before he releases my waist and makes his way beside me. "I ran out of coffee." My husband admits almost sheepishly as I feel his gaze unintentionally land upon the scene I had just stumbled upon with our daughter.

"No." I whisper with the infinitesimal shake of my head as Mako claims her father's leg in favor of my own. "We were just about to do that." And I see him nod from my peripheral before observing how the woman became aware of the crowd her own daughter had just drawn.

"Sorry," Her soft, chimelike voice floats above her child's fussing as she give us an apologetic smile on her daughter's behalf. "are we in your way?" And I part my lips to speak before my husband's voice manifests beside me.

"Gomen..." He murmurs this apology in that demure, reserved tone of his that I find simply irresistible. "We didn't mean to stare." And his words come so empathetic and filled with sympathy as he finally asks. "Is she two?"

As I watch her turn her full attention to us, I realize that to call the woman petite would have been a gross understatement. But something about her immediately draws me in. Even through the fatigue shaping her features she's soft. Everything about her is soft. Every angle gently rounded and curved from her delicate eyebrows, full lips, to the tip of her chin. Even the waves of her short blond hair curl and softly curve along her jawline in the dainty bob it had been cropped into.

"Yeah." She almost chuckles to my husband as a smile graces her full lips. "How did you know?"

"They don't call them 'the terrible twos' for nothing." He murmurs lightly in amusement of his own as he taps our daughter on the nose, laughing outright when she scrunches her face. "Right, Mako?"

"Right!" Mako chirps exuberantly with a wide smile and bob of her head as my husband chuckles to himself before his wise amethyst gaze shifts to the woman once more.

"But it doesn't last forever." He offers this up softly in genuine consolation to the woman in her apparent time of need as I found myself giving a nod of agreement.

"Hang in there." I chime in lightly with my own words of encouragement to the clearly new-ish mother as she held the line against this strong willed, spirited little girl. "It really does get easier." And with this the woman gives a nod of genuine gratitude to our empathetic understanding and lack of harsh judgment or scornful looks as my husband gently ushers me away from the spectacle with our daughter between us.

As we make our way once again to the register, the little girl's meltdown still in full swing without any sign of letting up, I give a small smile down to my own baby. My Mako. We'd had our days, believe you me. But the sunlight she shines into my life far outweighs the hardship of her temper tantrums over not getting her way. Ruminating over how this little soul holding onto my hand has so profoundly changed my life, my thoughts are gently pulled to the sound of my husband's voice on the other side of our daughter.

"Should I just meet you at the register?" He asks as he plans his getaway to make his coffee run.

"Sure." I nod before I feel another light tug at my hand.

"Mama, can I go with Papa?" Mako questions pleadingly, those beautiful large eyes of hers meeting mine as I let out a chuckle, looking to my husband as he gives a nod of approval that he didn't mind.

"Sure, baby girl." I smile down to her before meeting my husband's amethyst gaze once more. "Just _try_ not to let her rope you into getting her any more treats, okay?" I wink playfully, gaining a small laugh from him as our daughter already begins to break out her adorable puppy dog look.

And it still blows me away at how effortlessly this tiny soul has us _both_ wrapped so tightly around her little pinkie finger.

Go figure.

"Meet you guys at the car when you're done?" I ask, quickly double checking the stash I'd gathered with Mako earlier as my husband gives a small nod.

Quickly checking out without further incident, I make my way through the parking lot to our car. Most people would cringe at the thought of taking a road trip with a toddler in tow, but Mako was surprisingly good with car rides. She just _loves_ them.

Most _especially_ when there are snacks involved.

As I approach the vehicle, I notice another car next to mine that hadn't been parked there when we arrived at the store. Shrugging this off, I make my way to the passenger door to place the goodies in the seat, save for my energy drink. Closing the door and turning to wait for my family in the pleasant warmth of the afternoon sunlight, I notice a man holding a silent vigil at the car next to me, apparently doing the same exact thing. Watching as he takes a drag of the cigarette poised between his long, thin fingers...a strange, dark aura exuding from him as he leans his tall, lanky frame against the car, his gaze coming fixated on the ground...I begin to feel the dredges of an old hunger. Though I had quit smoking _and_ drinking years ago, I'll admit that there were moments where both of these old lovers still called to me.

...even now, in my new life.

And for a moment, as I pop open the can of Red Bull in my hand and savor a sip of the sour energy drink, I find myself fighting the urge to bum a cigarette from the guy and light up myself. For old time's sake. The curl of smoke from his thin, perfect lips comes so tantalizing to me that I _swear_ I almost begin to salivate over the thought of a smoke. Like Pavlov's dog...ring that old familiar bell and apparently I begin to drool.

...woof...

But what hits me even _harder_ than this insane craving, is when the guy actually looks my way. And I'm almost floored by a chocolate brown gaze deeper and darker than any abyss I'd ever stared into.

And this guy. He just... _watches_ me take him in for a moment. The two of us staring at each other in the parking lot through this awkward silence. And I attempt to hold his disturbingly intense gaze...wondering to myself if he knew just exactly how deeply unnerving his foreboding stare was becoming in this messed up game of chicken we were playing...until I finally fold and my own eyes fall away to distract myself with the smaller details of his person.

Wondering why he looks so familiar...

That dark, inky black hair of his is cropped to an almost shaved cut. And it just further accentuates and enhances his lean, sharply angular facial features and high cheekbones. I finally find resolve to move my eyes away from his face, which seems to hold just a hint of familiar rebellion with a few piercings. Like that rad nose stud of his. And I finally take notice of his attire.

Black...

He's wearing a simple black button-down dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to just below the elbows. Strangely accented with tasteful black leather wrist bands that subtlety draw my attention to the decorative tattoos along his forearms. And dark blue jeans come discreetly laced around his waist with a thick studded leather belt...hidden by the un-tucked dress shirt. The whole outfit is finished off with simple black shoes that neither draw my eye or cause it to shy away.

Having graciously given me ample time to take him in, I hear the guy finally clear his throat in order to discreetly call my attention back to my staring as my cheeks burst into a blush of pink.

"Take a picture." He mutters to me flatly in low, almost lifeless monotone with the cock of his eyebrow as he calls attention to my ogling. "It'll last longer."

And the sting of Red Bull painfully floods my chest from going down the wrong tube at the sheer surprise of this old familiar jab as I sputter and almost cough to death on my drink.

"Saboten?!" I choke out, old memories rushing through me at breakneck speed as I watch the man's eyebrows almost shoot into his hairline in shock before his expression goes completely taut and his nostrils flare.

...yep...

There's _no_ mistaking it.

This guy's none other than the infamous Cactus Man himself.

* * *

 **A/N: Greetings! So...this comes as the last and final piece of the Kurumi/Aden saga. Preceded by "Suicide Girl And Her Saboten" "Ships" and "Have A Day." Thank you to all who have loved and supported this saga between the OC of the amazing GalaxyVisionary and my character from my original work "Hard Candy." Seriously, you all have been so amazing throughout this crazy ride. And a special thank you to GalaxyVisonary for being so kind as to lend me Kurumi in the first place and allowing me to create this world for you all.**

 **In this story comes my original characters, Aden McCaffery, Kate Littleton (McCaffery), and Merry McCaffery.**

 **As a side note...yes...I have taken the beginning of GalaxyVisonary's last chapter of "Mirror Mirror." And yes...she knows. Not that I really ASKED her, mind you. But...she knows. Thanks again, girl.**

 **More to come. So stay tuned.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Okay, so I'm trying a new writing style of writing in the present tense. And, surprisingly, it's a lot more difficult than I had first imagined. So I apologize for any errors or minor slip-ups. And thank you for your patience and loving support!**

* * *

" _Shit_." That sharp hiss of a curse from his lips only confirms my accusation, and the fact that he now recognized me.

It's written all over his face.

"No way!" I exclaim, my mouth still gaping over my open surprise.

Because it's _him_...of _all_ people. But...he looks so different than the last time I had laid my kaleidoscope gaze on his fine face. And _damn_ , he looks good.

 _Really_ good.

He looks... _better_.

So much better than the last time I had seen him. Because back then, I remember he had looked so pale. Hollow. An empty shell, really. So angry and despondent, all at the same time, that it seemed to tear him apart with the sheer force of it. And it took looking at him _now_ to realize just how _sick_ he really must have been back then.

A sickness...and deep, excruciating ache for self destruction that I had once shared with him.

Not that I had actually _known_ him back then. At least...not like I had wanted to. And I find myself so grateful for that fact now, with the life I have today. Because...I know now...that what I had wanted with him back then would have never worked out. And I might have just mess things up for the both of us.

With this melancholy thought...I begin to wonder with a heavy heart...if I too, had once looked as bad off as he had, so long ago.

...maybe I did, and no one had had the guts to tell me to my face...

...or...maybe they had. Or at the very least they had tried. And I just hadn't listened.

Reeling from the suddenness of this unexpected reunion and onslot of memories, I start to open my mouth to say something. Anything at all to save myself from looking like an even _bigger_ moron that I already do with my mouth hanging open. But Cactus Man's brooding gaze is swiftly diverted to his pocket, fishing out his cell phone to answer a call as the cigarette poised between his fingers comes momentarily forgotten. And I find that I have never been more happy to be saved by the bell.

Metaphorically speaking.

"Hey." His gaze drifts aimlessly to the ground below him, his tone holding a strange tenderness in it.

A tenderness I've only heard from him. Once. When he had been talking to his roommate's mother. Yet as I watch him focus his attention on the voice at the other end, I see his features furrow into the makings of a grimmer expression. Followed by a small sigh pushed from his thin nose.

"Yeah, go ahead and send her out here." He murmurs coolly into the phone as he finally takes another drag of his cigarette, his words coming through a thin smoke screen. "I'll be able to see her from the front when she comes out. I'll take her."

Just like that, the oddly cryptic conversation is ended. His phone is shoved back into his pocket. And a final drag of his cigarette is taken before he drops it to the ground and unceremoniously snuffs it out with the bottom of his shoe.

Then...he waits.

And I find myself quietly waiting with him. My gaze following his as he ominously glares at the front entrance of the store. Waiting for something...or someone. I have _no_ idea what is about to happen, but I hold my breath against the unknown until the sliding doors to the grocery store fly open.

And out comes the screaming toddler I had encountered in the aisle.

In that moment...Cactus Man crosses his arms along his chest, his expression stern as the two exchange petulant glares from across the parking lot. And all of the sudden, it hits me.

That's _Saboten's_ kid.

I bite down on my lower lip to stifle the laughter threatening to bubble up at this manifestation of Karma as I take in this epic, almost old wild west-ish stare down between father and daughter. Seriously...the only thing needed to make this scene so perfectly cliché is a slight breeze to this warm summer afternoon, and the slow roll of a single tumbleweed...

But as quickly as it comes, the moment passes as the little girl gives a quick glance back at the door.

"Mm-mn." This comes grunted with the shake of his head. "Don't you even." I hear Saboten caution to her from across the parking lot towards the little girl's attempt to re enter the grocery store. "You had your chance with Mommy in the store and you blew it." He utters this loud enough to be heard, but not to frighten or intimidate. "Now you're mine. So get over here before you make me come and get you." And I swear the little girl's face turns fifty shades of angry, scrunching her features as she balls her little hands into tiny fists and begins her naughty stomp of shame across the parking lot under the scrutinizing gaze of her dad.

"Yeah..." I hear him mutter quietly under his breath to himself as he stares her down in her approach to him. "...you _know_ your ass is in big trouble..."

This whole scene becomes even more comically surreal as this angry little munchkin comes toe to toe with her father, who now towers over her with his lanky six foot two frame. Coming to mimic his stance, chubby little arms come crossed along her own chest as the two just scowl at each other. Big, rick dark brown eyes that rival the depths of her father's own glare up at Saboten as his expression comes slightly taut, yet neutral to her anger.

"You want to explain to me why you were so mean to Mommy in the store?" This low, monotonous question kicks off his interrogation.

The toddler's face scrunches into a deeper scowl, an expression that might have been somewhat intimidating if she wasn't so gosh darn adorable, one tiny foot coming down to stomp on Saboten's shoe as she simultaneously screams at him with _every_ toddler's favorite word.

"NO!"

"Rude." This comes grunted in a flat deadpanned as he glowers right back at her, clearly unamuzed by her show of disrespect.

Once again, I find myself fighting against my amusement and the laughter choking at my throat. I _can't_ laugh. I know that. Because no matter _how_ comically hilarious and adorable this scene is, I understand that this little girl's defiance and aggressive behaviors can in no way shape or form be ignored or rewarded. Because...while admittedly _sort_ of cute _now_...this will only get worse as she gets older. So I hold the line against laughing at this impromptu entertainment as I watch Cactus Man hold the line against his equally surly progeny. And just as I've managed to successfully school my features into a blank expression, the little girl steps up her antics as she goes and actually kicks Saboten right in the lower shin.

Not hard enough to hurt him, really. But I can see this makes him a little angry.

"Really, Mer?" He questions a little roughly, his arms still crossed along his chest as he glowers down at his daughter when she tries to go for his shin again.

"Don't kick me." This comes crisp and taut in forced restraint as he gives a small, half step back. "I mean it." He warns sternly as she brazenly calls him out on his bluff, crossing that challenge line he's set down as her tiny foot kicks him in the shin for a second time.

"That's it." Saboten's voice gains a dangerous edge as his hands lash out and the little girl lets off a bloodcurdling shriek.

And my whole entire world shatters with that sound as it comes to a screeching halt. I watch as his larger hands effortlessly wrap around his daughter's tiny rib cage to lift her off the ground. Kicking and flailing her little limbs as she squirms in his grasp, the little girl's tiny fists manage to hit against his chest before Saboten dangles her away from himself. And it feels like my heart stops beating in my chest all together as my mind is flooded with memories.

Flashbacks...

Of the look of repressed, murderous rage Saboten had shot me when I had grabbed his wrist and he pried my fingers off him.

Flashbacks...

Of the way he sent me crashing to the floor after he'd pinned me to the wall.

Flashbacks...

Of the sound of shattered glass when he'd locked himself in his room and thrown a bottle at the door to get me to go away.

Flashbacks...

Of the feeling of overwhelming, paralyzing fear and terror as he screamed at me, slamming his fist into the wall just inches away from my face.

And...it feels like my heart's just stopped beating in my chest. Because, I remember. What he use to be like. And the bone chilling screams of his daughter don't do anything to ease my anxiety as I wonder what exactly he's planning to do as he holds her suspended off the ground.

Is he going to scream back at her? Right in her face?

...will he do something worse...?


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Some strong language featured in this chapter. Heads up.**

 **Again, pardon any errors on my part.**

* * *

As I stand silent in petrified fear, my eyes absorb the look on his face. Right now. And it's nothing like what I would have expected. Stoic. Blank. Impassive as he regards the toddler wriggling in his hands. He looks _calm_. In this storm swirling around him with his child screaming bloody murder, he actually looks calm.

As I feel my heart finally restart, and I can actually breathe again, I begin to notice the judgmental stares and expressions of mild horror towards this spectacle from some of the patrons leaving the grocery store. But Saboten seems to be oblivious...like always...to these onlookers as I begin to realize what he's already noticed.

This isn't just some normal, run-of-the-mill meltdown.

Because once defiant, angry screams of protest now give way to hot tears and flushed cheeks as the child's small body is rocked with long, drawn out whimpered sobs. Though still wriggling and struggling in her father's hold, the little girl's flailing seems just a little more stiff until her whole body becomes rigid in inconsolable distress. Arching back as she continued to gasp in little sobs. And my mother's heart thrums in overtime towards this saddening scene.

I've only ever _heard_ the horror stories about children under this level of distress. But usually it's reserved for infancy. During severe bouts of colic. But to see it so clearly now... It's simply heart-wrenching to witness as I stand silently unobtrusive, watching Saboten ride this out with his daughter. Still holding her a safe distance away from his body, her cries finally dying down to soft, drawn out whimpers, that dark chocolate gaze intently regarding the toddler in his hands.

"What's gotten into you today, Mer..? Seriously." He murmurs this lowly, just above her whimpers as his features furrow in mild concern over her incessant whimpers and wiggling. "Does your body feel all crabby?" And she gives the small, voiceless nod of her head yes, her body still squirmy as he gives himself over to a small, puffed sigh.

"Did someone give you candy?" This falls flatly from his lips, and I watch as the little girl nods with the small quiver of her lower lip.

"Unc-uh Gabe." She mumbles as a small flash of anger fills Saboten's dark brooding gaze, causing his nostrils to flare slightly.

" _Shit_." This comes a sharp hiss under his breath before his brows knit together, his gaze intents but filled with understanding.

"What did he let you have?" He asks as her little lips purse together.

"...gunnie beaws..." The toddler mumbles again in that little lisp of hers.

"The red ones?" He continues to question as she nods with the bob of her blond curls.

"Simmimmums." And a small sigh pushes its way through his slender pierced nose.

"Yeah..." Saboten bitterly mutters, a slightly darker edge to his otherwise impassive voice. "...he knows you like those ones, doesn't he..." And his daughter gives another nod. "...but the cinnamon ones aren't good for you, Mer." And to this the little girl juts out her lower lip in an adorable pout.

"Alright..." This comes grumbled lowly from his chest as he gives her a stern, meaningful look. "...you all done being a grumpy bear?" And the toddler gives another, small nod of her head. "You want a grumpy Mer-bear hug?" He asks as she gives a larger, emphatic nod that causes her hole body to wiggle in his hands as he gives her a small, dubious scowl. "...are you going to try and kick me again..?" He gives her the pointed raise of his brow, her big brown eyes growing even larger with the vigorous shake of her head no.

And as I live and breath, Cactus Man _actually_ brings the kid to his chest. Adjusting her little, wiggly body in the crook of his arm in order to effortlessly support and cradle her, he lets her burros her tear streaked face into his black button-down shirt for comfort as she curls her little fingers into the looser fabric.

This singular action isn't especially 'warm and fuzzy', per se. Nor is it overtly tender. Because, really, the man himself...with that perpetually impassive expression of his...doesn't exactly radiate _either_ of those traits.

On the surface.

But...there's something about this image that seems so deeply paternal. Masculine. Strong. Protective, even. As if he's acting as her guardian against emotions that are far bigger than she is. And in this moment, I find Saboten so intensely attractive in a way that has absolutely _nothing_ to do with any form of sexual desire.

Because in this moment, with his daughter cradled safely in his arm against his chest, Saboten exudes fatherhood.

And...surprisingly...it looks really good on him.

Not something I would have _ever_ expected back when I had first met him.

Just as I feel my heart about to swoon over this scene, I see Saboten fish through the pocket of his jeans for his cellphone once more. As the thumb of his free hand dance along its flat screen, I hear the low murmur of his voice, his eyes on the device in his hand as he speaks to his daughter.

"I'm going to call your mom." He utters this flatly as the little girl just shakes her head against his chest.

"I want to tell her you're okay..." Saboten continues under the toddler's silent protest. "And then you need to say you're sorry."

"No..." This comes a long...drawn out...and comically muffled whine as the child continues to hide her face in his shirt.

"Mer..." Her pet name is deadpanned through thin, perfect lips. "You were mean to her." His voice draws her attention as she looks at him, giving him an adorably dismal expression. "You hurt Mommy. You know that, right?" And to this, the little girls lower lip juts out in a soft quiver as new tears trail down her chubby rouge cheek.

"Wike Daddy?" She asks her father in that small, baby-lisped voice as Saboten's brows knit together in consideration.

"Well, did you kick her?" He asks this pointed question, his voice passive as the little girl gives the ravenous shake of her head no, brown eyes as large as saucers.

"Then no, Mer. Not like me." He answers her question honestly, the two holding each others gaze. "But you hurt her here." And he taps his own chest where his heart is with the index and middle finger of the hand holding the phone.

"Mommy's wuv mussoe?" The little girl asks quietly as she gazes unafraid into the deep abyss of her father's dark chocolate brown eyes, and Saboten nods.

"Yeah." He murmurs lowly. "Mommy's love muscle." Saboten's expression is calm and impassive as he talks to his daughter. "She loves you a lot...and you made her really sad, Mer." And I see him watch his daughter absorb this fact through little sniffles before continuing with his action of calling the child's mother.

Holding the phone to his ear, his gaze distant as he waits, I watch his body instinctively go into a slow rock. Side to side as he holds his daughter before that same monotonous voice responds to the one who's answered the phone.

"Hey babe." Cactus Man murmurs this greeting into the phone, giving way to a slight pause of disembodied conversation before responding again. "Yeah. She's okay now. I got her calmed down." He utters this lowly before his voice gives way to something a little darker. "And I think I figured out what the problem is." His gaze narrows with these words as he gives the imperceptible nod of his head, continuing to rock his daughter who looks on intently at this one sided conversation. "Mm-hm." Saboten grunts wordlessly before he finally meets his daughter's gaze. "And someone here has something she want's to say to you." He slowly hands the phone to his daughter as she shyly shrinks away and into him, producing a small whimpered moan of protest.

"Mer..." This comes a flat deadpan to her apprehension as the little girl just pouts before taking the oversized phone into both of her little chubby hands.

"...hi Mommy..." This comes mumbled just above a whisper as Saboten lays a quick, unobtrusive kiss on the top of her head.

A discreet action that seems to bolster the child's confidence as she takes heart in the silent encouragement he offers.

"...I sawwy fo bein mean..." She falls silent after offering this apology, sitting in her father's arm as she attentively listens to her mother's voice. "Wuv you too." The little girl mumbles as her tiny legs begin to go into a small swing with the rhythm of Saboten's sway. "Buhbye, Mommy." She finishes the conversation, looking to her father for approval as he nods and takes the phone.

"Hey." He murmurs into the phone again, following up the conversation. "Have you finished shopping yet?" This comes asked with a pause given to the response. "No, that's okay. Take your time. I've got this." His tone is even and unfettered before his voice comes just a bit softer in request. "But...do you think you could pick me out a Pepsi while you're in there?"

And I swear...I almost lose it and burst into a fit of laughter.

Honestly. After all this time. The man still has a thing for Pepsi?

Go figure.

Clamping my lips shut to stifle the obscene giggles that threaten to crawl up my through. But _damn_ if a few don't squeak out into an undignified snort, earning me a swift death glare from the man before bringing his focus back to the conversation.

"Thanks babe." He mumbles into the phone, a light, self-conscious blush painting his high cheekbones at knowing I'm listening to this conversation before he ends the call.

"Alright, Mer." Saboten mutters as he one handedly exchanges his phone for another electronic device in his back pocket. "Music time."

"Why?" This comes asked with the furrow of her little brows.

"Because now I'm calling your uncle."

"Why?" She asks again.

"Because you're not the only one in trouble." His tone is flat and unforgiving in its intent, and I find a swell of pity sweep over me towards the man's old roommate.

"You gon yehw at Unc-uh Gabe?"

"Mm-hm." This comes grunted with a small nod as he continues preparing his I-pod for his daughter. "I'm going to yell at Uncle Gabe."

"Why?" She asks in this adorably relentless one word search for answers, reminding me of when Mako had gone through the same exact phase of the never ending 'why?'.

...every toddlers _second_ favorite word...

"Because he made me mad." The man offers this up, seeming completely unfazed by his daughters incessant questioning.

"Why?"

"Because he shouldn't have given you those gummy bears..." He murmurs as he begins absentmindedly thumbing through his song list. "...and he knows it."

"Oh..." The child mumbles softly, finally seeming appeased before her features scrunch into another little scowl.

"You gon use bad wuds, Daddy?"

"Yes I am, Mer." The man concedes to his planned use of profanity in a stern, flat deadpan to the toddler in his arm. "Okay...what song do you want?" And the little girl flashes an adorable chubby cheek grin.

"Nuvana!" She cheers and wiggles as Saboten shakes his head with another grunt.

"Mm-nm. No Nirvana." He deadpans. "Mommy doesn't like you listening to them."

...and...I find myself giving the cant of my head to this...

"Cause of Cook Cobain?"

My brows knit together as I witness Saboten's once impassive expression give way to a small flicker of regret. Almost as if he holds some form of guilt of shame over this strange question.

"Yeah, Mer..." Cactus Man finally murmurs to this question with the small nod of his head. "Because of Kurt Cobain." This comes muttered almost darkly as he sifts through the list of songs before asking. "How about Metallica?" And the little girl nods. "Enter Sand Man?" He questions as she gives him a grin.

I find myself familiar with that particular American band... Mostly thanks to Haru. And I just can't hold my tongue any longer.

"You let your daughter listen to heavy metal?" I asked...though I know I really shouldn't be surprised by this, coming from Saboten.

Way to dad, Cactus Man...way to freaking dad.

Then I realize that my question has just gain the dark chocolate gaze of the infamous Cactus Man as he gives a simple shrug of indifference.

"We tried all the normal kids music..." He utters in a flat deadpan. "She doesn't like it." And his daughter throws a stern scowl my direction, the heat and intensity of her brown gaze coming to rival that of her father's.

"Baby moosic soun wike chit!"

As my brain processes these words at breakneck speed, I feel my jaw hang. Again. Because I'm not quite prepared to believe she _actually_ said what I _think_ she had just said. But to my astonishment, my fears are confirmed as a deeper voice comes in swift rebuke.

"Hey." Saboten snaps a little gruffly as he points a finger in his daughter's face. "Words." He scolds, only to have his own offspring mean mug him before playfully attempting to bite the finger pointed at her like a piranha, causing the man to retreat the digit and glower right back at her as he lets out a disproving grunt of a growl.

As the little girl lets off an adorable giggle at her father's growl and grumpy expression, I see Saboten's face imperceptibly soften to the absolutely beautiful sound of his daughter's laughter. And this little moment that they have seems so fiercely intimate that it makes my mother's heart flutter all over again. And as he readies his daughter with music to conduct what I know will be an unseemly conversation with his old roommie, I see how safe she looks in his arm. And how much love he has for her as he looks into her face. A fierce affection that is reflected and mirrored in his daughter's eyes.

The earbuds snugly in place, Saboten thumbs through his I-pod to locate the song and adjust the volume. Making the rock fist to his daughter in question, index finger and pinkie up, the little girl simply mimics the hand gesture in silent answer as her father gives a small nod and slips the I-pod back into his pocket.

And then...he goes for his phone. His thumb swiftly swiping and dancing along the flat surface before he brings it up to his ear, waiting a moment before speaking.

"Hey." He opens up the conversation with this stony greeting. "You want to explain to me what the _fuck_ you were thinking when you gave my kid candy?" This low murmur comes a strange mixture of calm reserve laced in rage.

Well _that_ escalated quickly.

I give a concerned, wayward glance to the child in his arm. More than a little worried as to how this would be affecting her. But, to my utter surprise, I see that...not only does she seem completely oblivious to these harsh words...the little girl is comfortably nuzzled to her father's chest, thumb tucked in her mouth listening to music as she stairs off at nothing in particular.

"Of _course_ she begged you for the gummy bears, _Gabe_!" He mutters in complete disdain. "She's _two_!" This comes snapped from his lips as he scowls to the disembodied voice. " _You_ need to be the _fucking_ adult in that situation and tell her _no_!" He scolds, his tone low yet heated as the irritation along his face deepens, giving brief pause to listen before starting in again. "This isn't just some bullshit Kate and I made up to ruin your fun with her. It's a fucking allergy." This comes in a hiss, his next words coming forceful and pointed...each word punctuated and emphasized as he speaks. "She can't have _any_ foods with Red 40 dye." And his face contorts in baffled anger as he growls. "Well what the _fuck_ did you _think_ they made those gummy bears with?!" A sigh pushes itself through his slender pierced nose as his lips shape themselves in a taut line. "You can't keep doing this, Gabe. It's not _good_ for her." His dark gaze comes cast down to his daughter, who now seems to be on the verge of falling asleep against him as she contently sucks her thumb. "You don't see what it does to her. It _really_ fucks her up." He mumbles this, his voice having lost its stern tone before giving way something just a bit melancholic. "I know you're sorry, Gabe." Saboten's expression becomes completely passive as he gives another small sigh. "Yeah...she's okay now..." And before I know it, his lips grow taut as he fires off his final parting shot. "But I swear...the next time this happens, I'm going to call your mom."

Just like that, the conversation is over and the phone is stuffed back into his pocket before his friend can offer up any form of defense or protest. And a small moment of silence befalls me. I'm speechless. Because...suddenly...so much of this seems to make sense. Yet, it opens so many more questions. Questions that linger along my lips before one suddenly slips out to break the silence.

"So...she has an allergy?"

* * *

 **A/N: Okay, a few things here!**

 **First. Anyone who has theories about the Kurt Cobain reference...shoot. I wanna hear them.**

 **Second. Y'all can thank me for the Gabe cameo. Another one of my original characters, the good old Gabriel LaGrange.**

 **Lastly. The red die allergy. It's a real thing. It seems to really affect and hit hard with kids diagnosed with ADHD. Interesting side note.**

 **Anyway, thank you all for your support!**

 **And again, special thanks to GalaxyVisionary! Hope you enjoyed this one! One more to go!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay. So, I had worked overtime on this...TRYING to put it out yesterday, but clearly failed. Because. yesterday, 3/12...is a VERY special day. A day, I am ashamed to admit, that I almost overlooked this year. So, a day late and a dollar short, I want to wish a most special and blessed birthday to one, GalaxyVisionary. The creator of Kurumi. The inspiration behind this story. And one of the most amazing authors, people, and dearest friend I know. A rare jem.**

 **Lady, I tried to get this out yesterday, but figured that it was best to give you a quality gift a day late then something raw and unfinished on your special day. I hope that your birthday was just as special and wonderful as you are, my friend!**

 **Special thanks to all those who have read and reviewed not just this story, but this whole entire crazy saga. I'm continually humbled by your guys' support.**

 **warning. Some strong language and mild suggestive content in this chapter. Also, possibly some grammatical and spelling errors. You've been warned.**

* * *

"So." I whisper through the silence that follows Saboten's phone call. "...she has an allergy?"

This question gains his attention. That dark, brooding chocolate gaze drifting from the ground to meet my eyes.

"Yeah." He murmurs this in a low, monotonous lull, still swaying the slumbering toddler tucked to his side.

"Will she be okay?"

Saboten gives a small, passive shrug to this, his gaze falling from me to the sleeping child in his arm. Thumb in her mouth. Her head nuzzled to his chest.

"The pediatrician says she _might_ grow out of it..." This parts his thin, perfect lips.

But...it sounds like he's not holding out much hope.

Before I can barrage him with any more questions about his daughter's condition, the sound of a shopping cart in motion through the parking lot grabs my attention. And I see the child's mother with a full cart of groceries.

...she must have used the time alone in the store without her daughter to her advantage...

As she pushed the cart towards us, I notice a small, little smile play along her full lips as her eyes catch Saboten from across the lot. And...to my complete astonishment...he _actually_ returns the smile with the small ghosting of a smirk at the corner of his lips before it's gone completely. Swept under that expression of perpetual indifference. As she finally approaches to the car, her small little smile to him becomes so incredibly soft. Soft...just like the rest of her. And I find myself so enamored with this scene before me that I completely forget that I'm staring at the both of them like some creep.

"Hey." The woman greets him in that same soft, chime-like voice as she meets him half way on her tip toes to give him a quick kiss on the lips before her gaze falls to their daughter. "How's she doing?" This comes a soft coo to the sleeping child in Saboten's arm.

"Fine." He responds in that same low, quiet murmur, gazing down at the child's mother who barely makes it to his chest in height. "She wore herself out trying to kick the shit out of me." And I clenched my jaw to fight the laughter threatening to give me away as the woman gives an almost exasperated sigh and small shake of her head to her daughter's behavior.

"So you said you found out what happened?" She asks, as her brows knit together.

"Yeah." The man retorts impassively. "Gabe gave her cinnamon gummy bears this morning before we left." And the petite woman lets out a amusingly drawn out, guttural groan of frustration followed by the name of Saboten's friend, her hand delicately moving to her forehead to swipe her brow in frustration.

"Gabe."

"I know." Cactus Man follows up his woman's lament in monotonous agreement. "I already talked to him." The woman's gaze falls to the ground as she gives herself over to a small sigh and the shake of her head, and immediately Saboten's brows furrow to this action.

"How are _you_ doing..?"

This oddly tender question brings the woman's gaze up from the pavement to meet rich, chocolate brown eyes as she offers up a small smile to his subtle concern.

"I'm fine." She murmurs lightly. "Just tired." And the man gives an understanding nod and look of consideration to the child's mother.

"I'll load up the groceries." This comes murmured flatly from his lips as the woman listens to his proposition. "Why don't you take her," He indicates their sleeping child tucked at his side. "and the two of you can nap in the back together." And the woman's soft smile seems to brighten at this offer as the two gently exchange the child, the sleepy little girl coming comfortably nestled on her mother's hip.

"You sure you don't mind driving?"

Saboten just gives the small, silent shake of his head to this question. As she turns to place their little girl in the back, bending over to nestle the toddler into her car seat, I catch Cactus Man's eyes discreetly linger along her back end. The small twitch of a smile tugging at the corner of his lip.

And I immediately feel the heat rise through my body to flood my cheeks with that simple look he gives her. The way he looks at her. Because...there had been a time...when I thought I had wanted that same look. From him. And as she rights herself from the back seat, my eyes avert their gaze to the asphalt below before I hear the soft, chime-like sound of her voice.

"Oh, hey!" The sound of this warm greeting calls my gaze up from the ground to meet a smile just as soft as the rest of her. "It's you!" She offers me a small wave, her gaze warm and inviting. "Thank you for earlier." Her voice grows just a bit softer in genuine gratitude. "In the store." And I give a small nod of my own.

"You're welcome, but I didn't really do anything." I smile back to her, watching Saboten eye me with some suspicion as the two of us chat it up before he finally decides to load up the groceries from the shopping cart.

That's right... Squirm, Cactus man. Squirm.

"Nonsense." She quips with a chuckle. "You and your husband were really kind and understanding back there." And Saboten's eyebrows arch to this news as I give another polite nod.

The two of us continue to make light banter and small talk as Saboten busies himself with their groceries. And I begin to wonder exactly what it is he's thinking right about now. But my time with his woman comes to and end all to soon as he finishes his task and closes the trunk with a resounding thud, gaining her attention.

"You ready to go, hun?" She asks as he approaches.

"Almost." This comes mumbled lowly. "I'm going to have another cigarette, then I think we'll be ready." He answers as she gives him another one of her smiles and tip toes to peck him on the cheek.

"Alright." She murmurs as she makes her way to the back of the car with her daughter. "Don't be too long, though." And with this he give a small, obedient nod as she offers a final wave to me and lets herself in, shutting the door behind her.

And then...I'm left alone.

With him.

And all these questions that I have.

"So you smoke now, hm?" I ask a little more dryly than I had meant to, and am immediately hit with that dark broody glare of his in silent reproach as he lights up and lets out a defiant breath of smoke, arching a single brow at me.

Okay.

Maybe not the _best_ question to open up with.

"And...you have a kid." I follow this up a little more softly in a lower murmur with a questioning look in my eye. "...and...a wife?" I ask tentatively...a small, wordless nod my only answer as I absorb this surprising information about my prickly little cactus.

Because even though I've seen it with my own two eyes...I _still_ can't quite believe that he's _actually_ settled down and become a family man.

But then...I suppose...that there was once a time where the same could have been said about me.

"So..." My voice drops a little lower along the hesitation of my next question. "...you kind of fell off the map for a while." I comment on his noticeable and somewhat strangely sudden absence from the stage as of late, biding my time for the next question to follow as he lets out a low, bitter snort of smoke from his slender pierced nose.

"Yeah..." This concession comes low and somewhat caustic from his lips as he leans himself on the hood of his car to settle himself in for this conversation as he smokes. "Well, that's what happens when you land your ass in rehab for six months."

I'm taken aback by the raw, blunt harshness of this statement as I find myself momentarily lost for words.

"...what happened..?" I whisper in a hushed tone, in complete shock as the words leave my lips of their own volition.

"You _really_ want to know?"

And...I know that I don't. Or at least...that I shouldn't. But as my whole body screams out to just say no and let this die, my lips part in a one word response.

"...yeah..."

This answer comes my undoing as I watch Saboten's dark brooding gaze narrow on me. I know that look. He's ready to let me have it.

...whatever _it_ is...

"I relapsed." This comes cold and blunt...yet it holds such profound weight as he just stares at me through a thin veil of smoke. " _After_ Merry was born." He tacks this on before taking a drag of his cigarette, and a small tremble works itself over my bottom lip.

His demeanor falls contemplative as his gaze moves from my face to the ground below. Taking another drag of his cigarette, a curl of smoke crawls from his lips before it's sucked between his teeth with the sharp breath he takes before speaking again.

"I wasn't ready for a kid." Saboten mutters this lowly through the smoke screen he's created from his nose, the small shake of his head following as he whispers. "...and I was scared fuckin shitless..." This comes uttered in a flat deadpan as he continues to avert his gaze from me. "...so...I ran." And I'm suddenly hit with the full force of his dark gaze as his eyes finally lift to meet me again.

"Kate left me." His words are cold and raw, taking my breath away. "For two months." He gives a small pause to take another drag of his cigarette before continuing. "And she took Merry with her." These words run through me like a blade stuck in my abdomen, their effect causing searing pain to run through my entire body.

And...I remain silent. Because I know that right now...I'm being give a rare gift. A glimpse. An intimate part of Saboten that he's actually willing to share with me, though I really don't understand why.

So...I remain silent and let him speak.

"Even though I knew it must've damn near killed her to do it...she left me." He murmurs quietly. "But those two months that she was gone...and the six months of treatment _after_ that..." His voice seems to die off into a breathless whisper. "...she _never_ gave up on me. Not once." And his lean features seem to shape themselves into a mixed expression of guilt stricken gratitude over this fact as I watch him take another drag of his cigarette.

Waiting.

Wondering.

Curious as to how things had eventually turned out to bring the two of them back together.

Because...I sense that this isn't quite the end of his story.

And that the worst might be yet to come.

"But all that shit..." This comes harsh and bitter from his thin lips, his features held in a taut expression of indifference as I see him try to separate himself from this. "Even _that_ wasn't enough to give me the wake-up call that I _really_ needed..." And I cringe, because a part of me really doesn't want to know what else had happened beyond what he's just told me. "It took having to celebrate my daughter's first birthday in that rehab center." His voice dies into another low murmur as he continues. "That very night after they left, I swore to myself that she'd _never_ have another fucking birthday like that..." The words that follow are nothing more than a breathless whisper. "...in a place like that..." This causes my heart to hit the pavement below and completely shatter as I feel the sting of tears threatening to make their way down my cheeks.

Because, thinking of what it would be like to be separated from my own daughter and husband...even for a moment, I couldn't even _fathom_ how painful this must have been for him.

"...I'm sorry..." My voice comes weak and breathless in a feeble apology.

" _Are_ you?" This retort comes sharp and laced in bitter, black bile as Saboten glares at me.

And I find myself catching a brief flash of the guy he use to be.

But before I have the chance to reply to this spiteful question of his, I catch a glimpse of my husband and daughter as they exit the grocery store. And...if I'm completely honest with myself, I'm exceedingly grateful for this disruption and the ceasefire it creates.

I discreetly dab at the threat of tears and quickly down what little is left of my poorly neglected energy drink in self-conscious distraction before Mako runs to me with the biggest smile on her face. My husband slowly trailing behind, saddled down with even more snacks. But as Mako wraps her arms around my legs in a hug, my heart pounds. Because my husband's eyes never leave me as he walks through the parking lot. And he's revealed himself to me so much over the years that I can tell what he's thinking, _just_ by looking in those amethyst eyes.

When he arrives, he places the bags on the ground next to the car and his arms circle my waist once more as I feel him rest his chin on my shoulder.

"Kare wa yūjindesu ka?" This comes enticingly whispered in my ear in, my husband discreetly asking me this question in regards to the guy glowering at me as he leans against the hood of his car with that dwindling cigarette held gracefully between his long, thin fingers.

 _'Is he a friend?'_

And this question isn't in any way accusatory, though my husband is fully aware of what I use to be like. Having endured the pain and anguish of my past transgressions and self destructive behaviors, he knows that I understand what I had put him through. And that knowledge has forged an unbreakable level of trust between the two of us. A trust neither one of us would ever betray in the other. But...that doesn't mean he doesn't worry about the type of people I use to know and associate with. More for my own benefit than any form of jealousy.

"Hai. Yaya." _'Yeah. Kind of.'_ I respond with the small nod of my head as Saboten watches the two of us talking about him in our native tongue. "This is the father of the little girl we saw in the store." I murmur as that dark brooding gaze narrows towards my words.

"Ah. I see." My husband's voice comes in that ever pleasant, demure tone before he whispers in my ear yet again. "Kanojo wa jibun no taido o motte iru."

 _'She has his attitude.'_

And, so help me, a less than classy and completely undignified snort escapes me as I nod in agreement to my husband's subtle observation of their shared demeanor.

"Hai." I chuckle out as a slow curl of smoke makes it way from Saboten's lips toward my outburst of amusement, that ever present scowl etched along his attractive features.

"His daughter has an allergy." This follows my amusement, sobering the moment as I continue, my hand coming to pet and gently stroke my own daughter's head. "And she was having a pretty bad reaction." My words come in explanation to what we had _all_ witnessed in the store earlier, and my husband's arms wrap just a little tighter around my waist.

"I'm very sorry." He offers up this congenial apology to the man in that same empathetic tone in which he had addressed the little girl's mother. "Will she be alight?" This comes asked in sincere and genuine concern.

Though his expression remains cool and impassive towards this consolation and show of concern as he takes a drag of the dwindling cigarette, Saboten gives a small, appreciative nod to my husband's question. Indicating that...for today, anyway...the little girl would fine. And with this silent nod comes a small tug at my hand.

"Mama, what's an allergy?" This innocent question comes forth from my daughter's lips, gaining my attention as I gaze down at her in contemplation.

"It means that the little girl in the store we saw ate something that made her really sick." I explain softly in words that she will be able to understand as I smile down at her. "So what happened isn't all that scary anymore, hm?" And she nods before her brows furrow to me.

"She's gonna be okay, right?" Mako asks, looking _so_ much like her sweet and gentle father as I give a reassuring nod of my own.

"Yeah, baby girl." I murmur to her as I smooth her hair. "Her mommy and daddy are taking good care of her." And this seems to appease Mako's concern, beaming one of the most beautiful smiles to me as I feel one of her father's arms release my waist to tenderly ruffle her hair.

"I'm going to put the groceries away." This comes whispered in my ear in such a way that seems to set my body in flames with the familiar sensation and warmth of his breath along the sensitive flesh of my cheek and neck.

And it just blows me away that even _after_ all this time together my husband _still_ has a way of stirring passion and desire with the simplest of things, really. Like a look. Or a touch. Or, in this case, something as mundane as telling me he's going to put the groceries in the car. And him giving me a demure, reserved peck on the cheek before he goes is just the icing on the cake that causes heat to rise and flood my face in a ridiculous school-girl blush.

Way to play it cool in front of an old flame, Kurumi...

"It was good meeting you." My husband murmurs politely to the prickly cactus of a man as Saboten replies with another silent, stoic nod and the drag of his cigarette.

Dropping the spent cigarette unceremoniously to the asphalt and snuffing it out earns a little scowl from my daughter as she shyly clings to me before I hear the sound of her voice.

"Smoking's bad for you, mister..." She gently mumbles in concern, a line she's heard her father tell me many times before she shrinks back into me at the dark brooding gaze that glowers down at her, letting out a scared little whimper.

"Hey." I snap light enough not to gain my husband's attention from loading the groceries as that dark gaze flickers back to me. "Fix your face in front of my kid, Saboten." I warn, my voice stern and protective as the mother bear in me comes out towards the mean mug Cactus Man directed at my daughter, and his face becomes passive and schooled once more.

"Saboten?" Mako looks up at me, scrunching her nose in confusion. "Mama, you called him a cactus?" And I give a light chuckle to my daughter's question, smoothing her hair as I smile warmly at her.

"Yeah, baby." My warm smile becomes an amused grin. "He's just a mean old, prickly cactus." This causes my baby to giggle as I hear a small huff of irritation come from Cactus Man.

"Yeah, well." Saboten mutters as his gaze hits the floor. "I've got to get going." This comes as a strange, almost awkward farewell as I give a small nod before the man's dark, intense stare hits me full force.

"But...before I go..." He murmurs lowly, his gaze never deviating from mine as he speaks. "...there's something that you wanted from me. A long time ago." His voice drops heavy with insinuation and that dark smoldering gaze as I give myself over to a hard swallow as old memories are dredged up.

What the hell?

What was the cactus man up to?

"Saboten..." I hiss in a whisper, my hands instinctively going to shield my daughter's innocent ears as my face flushes a brilliant shade of embarrassed. "In front of my daughter?" I bite my lip as my brows furrow towards this strange turn of the conversation. "Really?" And the only response to my bafflement is the faintest smirk of a smile and shake of his head.

"No." He mutters quietly. "Not _that_." I find myself letting out a small sigh of relief. "You're _really_ not going to get that from me now." Immediately, I'm flooded with a _whole_ new wave of embarrassment over where my own mind had just gone.

I guess some bad habits die hard...

...like... _really_ hard.

"The _other_ thing you wanted from me." This clarification lifts me from my mortified stupor to leave me completely baffled as to what he means.

The silent furrow of my brows and small quirk of my head is the only response I can muster up in my state of confusion before two words leave his lips.

Only two.

"I'm sorry."

Just like that. He leaves me completely speechless as tears begin to brim along my lashes. And I feel so stupid over the fact that these two little words hit me so hard. But...they do. And the only thing I can manage is a silent nod as I feel any further words choked in my throat from these sudden emotions I feel. And I watch him ease off his car through blurry eyes as he silently gets in, leaving me with those two words.

Probably the last.

And as he drives away with his own family in the back of his car, I feel another small tug at my hand.

"Mama...you're crying." Mako's worried tone brings me back, my teary gaze leaving the vehicle in the distance as I look upon her precious face. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I mumble, clearing my throat as I discreetly dab at my eyes. "I'm fine." I manage a smile for her to ease her concern. "Mama just got a surprise, is all."

"A good surprise?" Mako asks, furrowing her little brows as she looks up at me, my gaze once again flitting to the car that has already vanished.

"Yeah, baby girl." I give a small nod, the smile still playing along my lips. "A _really_ good one."

 **The End**

* * *

 **A/N: Though I didn't end ANY of the stories in this saga with a song as I normally do in my work, I have to admit that this was heavily influenced and driven by the song "Here's to the Heartache" by Nothing More. Their lyrics were used as the summary to this specific story.**

 **As another side note on music, I've always sort of seen Aden and Kate's theme/love song to encapsulate their relationship as the song "Gravity" by Papa Roach. Give it a listen. It's a beautiful song.  
**

 **And on that note, I end this crazy ride. Again, thank you to all those who stuck with this whole entire saga to it's end. And, I hope the end I gave to this particular story left you all satisfied.**

 **Until next time.**


End file.
